With March 31 deadline drawing near the anxiety of thousands of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)/ Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) qualified unemployed youths of state is increasing. The National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) has given the above mentioned deadline to the state government till which it can appoint B.Ed. qualified candidates in the primary schools of the state. The NCTE had directed that after March 31, only candidates having Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) would be eligible for being appointed as primary teachers. There are more than 25000 B.Ed./ TET qualified candidates in the state who would be rendered not eligible for being employed as primary teachers. The anxiety of these unemployed youths is understandable as posts of the primary teachers constitute lion’s share of the total job opportunities of teachers.
These youths under the banner of Federation of B.Ed./ TET qualified unemployed candidates, are camping at education directorate in state capital from last 85 days. Under pressure from the agitation the education department released the names of candidates from waiting list to fill vacant 347 posts of primary teachers. The department had conducted recruitment drive on 2794 posts of Primary teachers last year in which some of the candidates had not joined their duties after repeated reminders. In the meantime the matter went to the court and the process of appointment in these vacant posts was stalled.
The federation however is demanding that the education department should release recruitment advertisement for all posts which are vacant and those which are likely to be vacant after process of promotion and retirement of teachers this year. The federation is of the view that the department should start recruitment for 6200 posts since this would be their last chance for becoming a primary teacher.
The President of the Federation, Manvir Rawat told The Pioneer that education department is not heeding to the order of state Chief Minister Harish Rawat. He claimed that in a meeting with the representative of the federation CM had asked the education department to release recruitment for vacant posts but the department is yet to take any action. The federation is also pinning hope on the plan of department to develop three hundred primary schools as model schools.
“There should be at least five teachers in every model school which creates a vacancy of 1500 teachers in these schools only,’’ said one of B.Ed. qualified youth. These candidates are hoping that the department would release adequate number of posts so that their dream of Government job is
fulfilled.